A Month of Shaking and Awakening The Outcome

December 1, 2025

“Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:3

Entering October, an earthquake shook the Philippines. The epicenter was recorded in Bogo, Cebu at magnitude 6.9. Here in Dumaguete, our house trembled for almost a full minute. At that moment, my wife and I immediately prayed to the Lord for protection. Even in the shaking, we were confident that the Lord was with us.

Right after the earthquake, the Holy Spirit led me to 1 Thessalonians 5:3:
“For when they say, ‘Peace and safety!’ then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.”

This word was a confirmation of what God has been revealing — that we are entering a season of labor pains before the return of Jesus. Earthquakes are part of the signs of His coming.

I do not want to sensationalize these events, but clearly this is a message of awakening for the Church. The time is near. Jesus is near.

In Cebu, the destruction was immense. Many homes were damaged beyond repair. Families slept in tents, evacuation centers, and open fields. Entire communities needed relief and support. As if that wasn’t enough, aftershocks continued through the rest of October across the Philippines — particularly in Davao and Surigao. Knowing this, we continue to pray for our brothers and sisters affected by these disasters.

CALLED AS A FRIEND

One night, around 2 AM, I was suddenly awakened by a voice calling my name. It wasn’t a whisper — it echoed as though it came from a chamber, a cave, or somewhere deep and resonant.

“Mark.”

I was in deep sleep, but the call jolted me awake. At first, I wanted to return to sleep, thinking, If this is the Lord, He will call again three times like Samuel. Then I said to myself, But I am not Samuel. I am Mark. And I heard the voice clearly.

I could not ignore it.
So I rose from bed and responded,
“Here I am, Lord. Your servant is listening.”

Immediately, the Spirit of God led me into prayer — deep, burdened, Spirit-filled prayer. I prayed for the nation, for the Church, for families, for my own household, and for my brothers in the faith.
It was a kind of prayer I was not used to — a prayer where I knew the Holy Spirit Himself was interceding through me.

In that moment I realized:
God is searching for vessels willing to stand in the gap.
I simply happened to respond.

Despite my past failures and the sins I once carried, God reminded me of the blood of Jesus — His forgiveness, His cleansing, His grace. What happened at that hour was holy.

Then I heard the Lord say:
“You are My friend.”

Immediately I remembered John 15:15:
“I no longer call you servants… Instead, I have called you friends.”

That broke me. Tears flowed. Groanings filled my spirit. I told the Lord,
“I will do everything and give up everything just to be called Your friend.”
To be known by Heaven as a friend of God — there is no higher honor.

A MONTH OF SHAKING AND AWAKENING

October became a picture of what God is doing: shaking what can be shaken, awakening those who have been spiritually sleepy, and calling His people back to the unshakable Kingdom.

Some were stirred not only by the earthquake, but also by the move of the Holy Spirit. Many realized they have been caught up in the busyness of life, forgetting the Kingdom that cannot be shaken. Everything in this world will be shaken. Only Christ — the Rock of Ages — stands forever.
His Word remains.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but His Word will not pass away.

Heaven and earth will pass away, but His Word will not pass away.

A SEASON OF SHARPENING

Heaven and earth will pass away, but His Word will not pass away.

This whole month, the Lord hid me in a place of sharpening. It felt like being taken away from the noise and placed under His hand to refine, cleanse, and strengthen. I saw it as necessary because before entering the promised land, there are battles to fight, territories to conquer, and giants to defeat. A dull axe cannot win Kingdom battles. I must be a sharpened axe — a battle-ready weapon in His hands.

This silent retreat with the Lord is also the reason why both the October and November newsletters took time to publish. The Lord was calling me to rest in His presence — to be like Mary who sat at Jesus’ feet, listening, beholding, and receiving His Word, not like Martha who was too busy while the Master was speaking.

There are seasons when God calls us to move.
And there are seasons when He calls us to be still.
This October was a season of being still — to be sharpened for what’s ahead.

Be Part of The Outcome

Want to Partner with Us?
If the Lord is stirring your heart to be part of what He’s doing through The Outcome, you can support us through prayer or financial giving. Every seed goes into missions, discipleship, and creative evangelism. We desire to see souls saved and lives transformed — for His glory alone.

HOW?
Pray: Join us in prayer as the Apostle Paul urged in Colossians 4:3–4 (NKJV):
“…that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ… that I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.”

Partner: Support The Outcome financially and help us spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ, winning more souls for His Kingdom. Your financial support will aid us in buying the right equipment and tools to improve our audio sermons, podcast, website and other platforms and possibilities to spread the gospel both online and physical outreach.

Connect: If you live in Dumaguete City or nearby, connect with us to see what the Lord is doing in our ministry. Reach out at info@the-outcome.com.

To support, message us at:
📩 info@the-outcome.com
🌐 https://www.the-outcome.com/donate

Let’s continue to walk in faith, reaching every soul, one story at a time.

All glory belongs to Jesus!